On Monday (3rd March) the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) published its monthly report exposing the deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh even as ‘chief advisor’ Muhammad Yunus lies about ‘crime rate’ to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The report for the month of February reveals the grim human rights situation in Bangladesh. Human rights violations highlighted by HRSS include mob lynching, extrajudicial killings, political violence, child abuse, harassment of women and journalists and attempts to suppress freedom of speech.
The report highlighted an atmosphere of anxiety and fear among the common people due to increase in crimes such as murders, rapes, extortion, theft, snatching, and robbery.
HRSS pointed out, “…Widespread protests by students, resulting in attacks, vandalism, and arson on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence in Dhanmondi, Sheikh Hasina’s residence Sudha Sadan, and various Awami League offices and leaders’ homes across the country from February 5 to 7.”
The human rights body reported that at least 9 people were killed and 755 others were injured in political violence in February. A total of 104 incidents were found by HRSS for the same period.
HRSS also reported 10 deaths and 13 injuries in 17 different incidents of mob violence. It also pointed out that at least 107 children and women were tortured. 53 (comprises of 38 children) of them were subjected to brutal rape.
Interview of Muhammad Yunus with BBC
On Monday (3rd March), BBC Bangla published a 17-minute interview of Muhammad Yunus wherein he claimed that the ‘crime rate’ in Bangladesh had not increased after his interim government came to power.
Yunus assumed the charge of the Chief Adviser of the interim government on 8th August 2024, following the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh three days earlier.
The controversial ‘Nobel laureate‘ was seen badgering the interviewer about the ‘references’ behind accusations of an increase in crime rate under his watch. “What is your reference point for saying crime has increased? You need to clarify that,” he claimed.
Yunus, who came to usher Bangladesh into a new era of democracy, was however quick to concede, “Crime rates have not increased at all- they remain the same as before.”
The Daily Star, citing police reports, noted that there has been a 50% increase in cases of robbery across Bangladesh over the last 6 months.
As expected, Muhammad Yunus blamed the Awami League (AL) of Sheikh Hasina to shred off his accountability. He also claimed that the crime situation did not improve due to police living under ‘fear.’
“My first effort was to unearth the real picture from beneath the rubble and make people’s daily lives easier. That was my initial focus. Then gradually, I started thinking about the future-where we should be heading…From the ruins where we started, a new shape is emerging,” he brazened out.
Deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh
On 12th February this year, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published a 104-page report detailing atrocities committed against vulnerable Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
The report is titled ‘Human Rights Violations and Abuses related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh.’ Its publication becomes crucial since the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, is pandering to Islamists.
The findings of the OHCHR expose the grim reality that Muhammad Yunus tried to brush under the carpet. He has largely remained a ‘mute spectator’ to targeted attacks, aimed at erasing the history of Awami League in the context of Bangladesh’s independence and politics.
The ‘student protestors’, who oversaw the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, had launched ‘Bulldozer procession’ outside the residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman on 5th February this year. They carried out vandalism and set the building on fire.
The radical elements, who enjoy the backing of the Yunus regime, also damaged murals of the founding Father of the Nation. They also carried out destruction and arson attacks on the residences of Sheikh Hasina’s late husband and cousins.
The ‘student protestors’ also attacked the homes of ex-President Abdul Hamid and former Bangladeshi army chief Moeen U. Ahmed.
Far from condemning the vandalism, Yunus appeared to justify the actions. This explains why no ‘student protestor’ has been arrested.He has also remained tight-lipped on attacks on Awami League leaders and the destruction of the party office.
Bangladesh is witnessing a drastic rise in vigilante Muslim mobs, unleashing violence under the pretext of protecting the tenets of Islam. These mobs are largely unorganised but they call themselves ‘Tawhidi Janata (meaning Revolutionary People).’
They have come under the spotlight over recent acts of vandalism and harassment of people. Following the undemocratic ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, violent Muslim mobs operating under the banner of ‘Tawhidi Janta’ have become bolstered.
Yunus’ regime has released Islamic hardliners and convicted terrorists and tried to downplay attacks on Hindu minorities as ‘fake‘, ‘exaggerated‘ or ‘politically motivated‘.
